CHAPTER 6 Recommendations and Conclusions
6.2 Recommendations
This study established that learners with intellectual disabilities pose challenges to non- specialist educators teaching these learners. Non-specialist educators strived to
encompass a wide range of opinions and inputs on how to overcome the challenges they experienced teaching the intellectually impaired learners. Several
recommendations and suggestions were made by non-specialist educators during this research that might assist with the reduction of stress and frustrations caused by the challenges experienced teaching the intellectually impaired learners. As most of the non-specialist educators are untrained to teach in special schools for the intellectually impaired learners, they feel they are not fit to teach the intellectually impaired because the training they received in their studies was meant for normal/mainstream schools.
The findings of this study confirm the view that teaching the intellectually impaired learners is challenging. The following recommendations were made by non-specialist educators.
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6.2.1 Specialized training facilities
Olivier and Williams (2005) states that effective teacher training by tertiary institutions and through in-service workshops is the appropriate avenue to equip teachers with the skills and competences they need to address their task. Furthermore, effective in- service staff development workshops are vital for the development of appropriate teaching strategies. Participants interviewed supported the above statement as their major recommendation was to have more and more in-service training, seminars and regular workshops conducted to develop them. According to Mukhopadhyay, Nenty and Abosi (2012) the Department of Teacher Training and Development in collaboration with regional in-service officers should organize continuous professional development opportunities on inclusion strategies of learners with special needs. Participants indicated that their classrooms are of inclusive in nature as they incorporated learners with multiple disabilities in one class.
6.2.2 Department of Education to provide bursaries for non-specialist educators in- service training
In order to enable non-specialist educators to teach special needs learners, bursaries need to be provided by the Department of Education for educators to further and equip themselves with relevant and adequate skills. According to Williams (2003) specialized teacher training by tertiary institutions and through in-service workshops is the appropriate avenue to equip teachers with the skills and competencies they need to address their task.
6.2.3 Active support from the Department of Education
Requirement from non-specialist educators was support from the Department of Education. Departmental officials need to be brought to sectors with such children where they would be able to actually demonstrate lessons practically for non-specialist educators to observe how to work with intellectually impaired learners. Frequent visits and follow-ups need to be done by Departmental officials to observe progress.
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6.2.4 Special Education teachers
Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) need to recruit Special Needs Educators who possess relevant qualifications to support learners with special needs in all special schools around the country as the majority of teachers in these skills are not well equipped to meet the demands of these learners. Training colleges and Universities need to recruit more teachers that would be trained on this specific field and relevant tertiary curriculum needs to be designed specifically for learner with special needs.
6.2.5 Teamwork and parental involvement
According to Mukhopadhyay, Nenty and Abosi (2012) it appears that there is a lack of coordination among teachers, special educators, parents, and professionals. Parent Teacher Association might play a pivotal role in strengthening the teamwork. The participants recommended that different stakeholders should be encouraged to participate in the education of special needs learners. Participants indicated minimal involvement of parents in their children’s education. School management teams need to arrange maximum participation of parent as they are the primary educators of their children who have better knowledge and understanding of how to work with their children. Olivier and Williams (2005) suggest that programs for the development of parent support, empowerment and co-operation could be facilitated through home visits (to establish contact and interaction) and parent-teacher partnership. Teachers could encourage parents to play a more active role at the school, such as painting the school or providing the school with legal advice, depending on the skills and competencies of the parent.
6.2.6 Appointment of class assistants
With regards to learners with multiple disabilities accommodated in one class, participant recommended that class assistants whom they regard as teacher aids need to be employed and placed in every class to assist the educators. Therapist and specialists need to be employed who will give support working hand-in-hand with non-
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specialist educators. Retired community member who have specialties, parents of the learners could share their expertise with the educators.
6.2.7 Provision of relevant curriculum by curriculum designers
An urgent requirement from non-specialist educators is relevant curriculum for the intellectually impaired learners. Results obtained indicated that special schools for the intellectually disabled use the same curriculum as mainstream schools. These learners were assessed and were placed in special schools because they could not cope with the curriculum and have repeated the grades more than once. Apart from these challenges their major concern is the ever-changing curricula which make it difficult for them (non-specialist educators) to adapt.
According to Olivier and Williams (2005) age-appropriate curricula are suggested to facilitate the difference between the phases. According to the participants classes are grouped according to chronological age not mental age. The learner’s levels of functionality are far below their chronological age. Olivier and Williams (2005) further suggest that in the junior phase (6-9 years) the focus can be more on perceptual and motor, safety, communication and socialization skills, body image and basic reading and numeracy skills. In the middle phase (9-12 years) the focus can be on socialization, self-sufficiency, communication, motor-co-ordination and more functional academic skills, which allow greater independence. In the senior phase (12-18 years) career- related activities, such as handwork, painting and cooking can be introduced, as well as sexuality education, (citing Engelbrecht and Green, 2001). Curriculum designers need to provide special schools for the intellectually impaired learners with the curriculum that suites them (intellectually impaired) with its main focus on skills development not academics
6.2.8 Physical and material Resources
Recommendations were made to improve infrastructure within special schools as the school buildings are not conducive for wheelchair-bound learners who are both intellectually and physically disabled. Principals need to network with other stakeholders and sponsoring bodies. Human resource was also an urgent requirement to be
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addressed to prevent the child from suffering. Assistive devices need to be supplied to special schools as they accommodate learners who are partially blind and hard of hearing. Specialists need to be provided to educate teachers on how to use these devices.
6.2.9 Further Research to be conducted in special schools
Recommendations from the participants were that this study focus should be conducted in all special schools around the country. Researchers should also focus on special schools not only on mainstream schools. Further research should be conducted by other researchers based on inclusion of learners with multiple disabilities on special needs classes. The main focus is on mainstream schools with the assumptions that special schools cater for learners with the same disabilities. Now that they have brought this to light intensive research needs to be conducted to reveal more various challenges experienced by educators.